Mothers are the cornerstone of everyone’s life. Recognizing the contributions of mothers and honoring motherhood, Mother’s Day is celebrated worldwide. In the realm of television, some actors embody the role of a mother with such grace and authenticity that it resonates with audiences, despite not having experienced motherhood themselves.
Shivani Naik, who portrays the character of Amol’s mother, from Appi Aamchi Collector shares her perspective, “From the moment Appi’s pregnancy was revealed, I felt like I became a mother myself. In my opinion, every girl carries the essence of motherhood within. The show depicted Appi’s entire journey, from her marriage to becoming a collector, post-marriage travels, and now her transition into motherhood. I have experienced Appi’s journey through every twist and turn, especially the challenges she faced during her pregnancy and the subsequent doubts about her abilities as a mother. We have paid close attention to the smallest details of her character, which has made her portrayal so authentic and relatable.”
Shivani further reflects on her own mother’s teachings, “At home, my sister and I represent the power of womanhood alongside our mother. She has imparted invaluable lessons and values to us. Learning how to handle situations calmly and responsibly is something my mother taught me directly. Many incidents and conversations she shared with us have been enlightening, especially after stepping out of our home. After getting into character, there has been a lot of buzz about Appi’s appearance, and viewers have appreciated her evolution. Scenes with Amol have been particularly heartwarming, and they have resonated deeply with our audience, elevating everyone’s energy on set.”
In Navari Mile Hitlerla, portraying the role of Leela’s aunt, Sheetal Kshirsagar shared, “Although I haven’t experienced marriage in real life and portraying such a significant motherly role on screen is indeed challenging. But I feel that being a woman, it’s not that difficult because every woman inherently possesses the qualities of motherhood. Due to my parents’ job, I sometimes had to take care of my younger siblings. Over time, I realized the importance of those experiences while portraying the role. Besides, my nephew Ojas is like my own child. Because of him, I’ve had many beautiful experiences. Even though I haven’t given birth to him, I feel a genuine connection with him. Observing my mother and other women in society, I’ve learned a lot, which has helped me in portraying Leela on screen. Through all this, I’ve come to understand my mother even more. My mother’s immense energy inspires me a lot. Now she’s 72 years old, but I’m amazed at how tirelessly she works and excels in everything she does. Being selfless at work, having a preference for cleanliness – these traits have become a part of me because of her. Another thing is that my mother doesn’t gossip, and she doesn’t like listening to it either. This is the biggest lesson I’ve learned from my mother, which has been very useful to me. ‘It helps me to be a better person on sets and a better artist on camera’.”
In the series Punha Kartavya Ahe, portraying the role of a mother to Bunny, Akshaya Hindalkar says, “I always feel that inherent maternal instinct exists within women. Hence, I never felt the need to artificially create anything different. Of course, some processes had to be followed. My younger brother, who is my uncle’s son, when he entered my life, I realized what motherhood means to me. Our director Shailesh Sir has helped me a lot in bringing out my maternal instincts on screen. Although the character Vasu is about 7-8 years older than me, and her son is grown up, the emotions of motherhood had to be portrayed convincingly. When I got this role, I fell in love with Vasundhara’s character from the start. Through this series, I’ve learned a lot about a mother’s journey. Everything from caring for them, assessing their worth, standing by them in every situation, integrity – my mother has taught me all of this. Even today, until I return home, she doesn’t sleep, and no matter how late my pack-up is. Both my sister and I have achieved so much in life seeing our mother and grandmother. Recently, I shared a story that happened on the train. I met some women, they were single parents. They could relate to Vasu as a single mother and how she portrays the relationship between a mother, daughter, and son. At such times when feedback is received, it feels like Vasu is on the right track. I feel really good portraying a mother."
In Paru, portraying the role of Aditya and Pritam Kulkarni’s mother Ahilyadevi, Mugdha Karnik says, “I am not a mother in real life, but the challenge of portraying someone who isn’t a mother in real life on screen is something I really enjoy. If the role is exceptional, whether it’s the mother of young children or older ones, it doesn’t feel like much of a difference. Falling in love with the character’s essence and striving to portray it convincingly on screen is what I work hard for, so I don’t feel like I’m portraying someone much older. I have gained strength from my mother. Whatever adversity she faces, no matter how tough the times, she faces it head-on. I’ve learned moral values from my work, and she really enjoys what she does. My mother, has been working joyfully in a hospital for 35 years, never complaining. Feedback for Aditya and Pritam’s mother’s role is something I receive from everyone – they say, ‘You look so young, how can you portray the mother of grown-up children so convincingly?’ When praising Ahilya’s role, even the audience says that although you haven’t experienced motherhood in real life yet, you’re portraying Ahilya so wonderfully."
